Antibody that binds to envelope glycoprotein of sever fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus and use for same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), the pathogen of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), and is used in order to effectively detect or diagnosis SFTSV and treat SFTS.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/086,761, filed on Sep. 20, 2018, which is a national phase application of PCT Application No. PCT/KR2017/003156, filed on Mar. 23, 2017, which claims the benefit and priority to Korean patent application No. 10-2016-0034727, filed on Mar. 23, 2016. The entire disclosures of the applications identified in this paragraph are incorporated herein by references.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), the pathogen of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), and is used in order to detect or diagnosis SFTSV and treat SFTS.

BACKGROUND

Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) is a new kind of mite-mediated infectious disease, and is mostly occurred by Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV) mediated by Haemaphysalis longicornis or Amblyomma testudinarium. SFTS was firstly reported in China in 2009, and the disease and virus was reported in Japan and Korea in 2012. The main symptoms of SFTS are fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, thrombocytopenia or leukopenia, etc., and in case of serious case, multiple organ failure may occur and result in death. SFTS has consistently occurred in China, Japan or Korea every year, and the fatality rate caused thereby is very high, and it mostly occurs in the period between spring and summer. A black-stripped field mouse is probable as the wild host of SFTSV, and it was presumed that domestic animals can play a role of host, since the serum antibody was found at the high ratio in domestic animals such as goat, cow, dog or chicken, etc. in the major outbreak areas of China. It has been reported that the infection from person to person occurred by mediating a body fluid of an infected person, but there is no approved therapeutic agent or prevention method to effectively treat SFTS until now.

There is a method of confirming an anti-SFTSV antibody titer in blood to confirm SFTS infection. Then the anti-SFTSV antibody titer is mostly measured with an antibody for N protein of SFTSV. The antibody is an antibody for SFTSV internal protein exposed when SFTSV becomes extinct. Thus, the conventional diagnosis by confirming the anti-SFTSV antibody titer has limitation that the existence of virus which is alive and actively acts cannot be accurately figured out. As another method of diagnosing SFTS, the method for detecting the RNA sequence of SFTSV in a subject derived from a human body has been known as having high accuracy, but it has a difficulty to isolate virus RNA of good quality from the subject.

On the other hand, International patent publication No. 2015/053455 (WO2015/053455A1) discloses the method for detecting an antibody for SFTSV, but specifically it does not disclose to which antigen of SFTSV the antibody binds and the neutralization activity of the antibody at all.

Thus, the development of an antibody or method which can effectively detect, isolate or purify SFTSV by recovering limitations of an inaccurate virus titer measurement method of conventional enzyme immunoreaction diagnosis method detecting the amount of killed SFTSV protein, or conventional low purity of virus RNA isolation method in blood is need.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an antibody which can effectively detect or diagnose SFTSV and treat SFTS. In addition, the other problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an antibody which specifically binds to SFTSV, particularly an envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV.

Technical Solution

To solve the technical problems, the present invention provides a novel antibody which specifically binds to SFTSV, particularly its envelope glycoprotein. In addition, the present invention provides a method for effectively detecting, isolating or purifying SFTSV using the antibody. In addition, the present invention, a method for effectively preventing or treating SFTS using the antibody.

As the result that the present inventors have made extensive efforts to overcome the limitations of conventional diagnosis methods of SFTSV, they found a novel antibody which specifically binds to an envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, particularly Gc or Gn, and found that SFTSV can be effectively detected using it, to complete the present invention.

SFTSV is a minus single strand RNA virus, and belongs to Bunyaviridae family, phlebovirus species. The virus is a globular virus of 80-100 nm diameter and uses Haemaphysalis longicornis as a mediator. The genome of the virus consists of large (L), Medium (M) and small (S) segments, and these encode 6 proteins of RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), glycoprotein precursor (M), glycoprotein N (Gn), glycoprotein C (Gc), nucleocapsid protein (NP) and non-structural protein (NSs).

In the present invention, an “antibody” may include whole antibodies and any antigen binding portion or single chains thereof. A naturally occurring “antibody” is a glycoprotein comprising at least two heavy chains (H) and two light chains (L) interconnected by disulfide bonds. Each heavy chain consists of a heavy chain variable region (VH) and a heavy chain constant region (CH). The heavy chain constant region consists of three domains, CH1, CH2 and CH3. Each light chain consists of a light chain variable region (VL) and a light chain constant region (CL). The light chain constant region consists of one domain, CL. The VH and VL regions may be further subdivided into regions of hypervariability, referred to as complementarity determining regions (CDR), interspersed with regions that are more conserved, referred to as framework regions (FR). Each VH and VL consists of three CDRs and four FRs arranged from amino-terminus to carboxy-terminus in the following order: FR1, CDR1, FR2, CDR2, FR3, CDR3, FR4. The variable regions of the heavy and light chains contain a binding domain that interacts with an antigen.

The present invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to an envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, particularly an envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc or Gn. Preferably, the antibody may be comprise a specific amino acid sequence as follows or consists of them. In addition, certain modifications which are obvious in constant regions of heavy chains and light chains are included in the scope of the present invention in the range having same or similar binding specificity. Furthermore, as each of those antibodies can bind to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, an antibody binding to other envelope glycoproteins of SFTSV of the present invention can be produced by mixing and matching VH, VL, full length light chain and full length heavy chain sequences (amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequences).

In one example, the amino acid sequences of antibody clones (Ab1-5) which binds to Gc envelope glycoprotein of the present invention are shown in the following Tables 1-8.

Amino acid sequences of light chains and heavy chains binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 1 SEQ ID Antibody NO and site Sequence  1 light chain ELTLTQSPATLSLSPGETATLSCGASQSVSTNYLA of Ab1 WYQQKPGLAPRLLIY DASSRAT GIPDRFSGSGSGTDFTLTISRLAPEDSAVYYC QQYGSSPLT FGGGTKLEIK  2 light chain ELVVTQPPSVSGAPGQRVTISC SGSSSNIGNNTVN of Ab2 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY SNNQRPS GVPDRFSGSKSGTSASLAITGLQADDEADYYC QSFDSSLNDWV FGGGTKLTVL  3 light chain ELELTQPPSVSGAPGQRVTISC TGSSSNIGAGYDVH of Ab3 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY GNSNRPS GVPDRFSGSKSDTSASLAISGLRSEDEADYYC AAWDDSLNGQVV FGGGTKLTVL  4 light chain ELVLTQPPSASGTPGQRVTISC SGSSSNIGSNTVN of Ab4 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY SNNQRPP GVPDRFSGSKSGTSASLAISGLQSEDEADYYC QSYDSSLSYV FGTGTKVTVL  5 light chain ELVVTQEPSLTVPPGGTVTLTC GSSTGPVTTTQYPY of Ab5 WFQQKPGQAPRTLIY DTNNRHP WTPARFSGSLLGGKAALTLSGAQPEDDA-YYC LLTSASAPWV FGGGTKLTVL  6 heavy chain QVQLVQSGPEVKKPGSSVKVSCKAS GGTFSTYAIS of Ab1 WVRQAPGQGLEWMG GIIPISGTANYAQKFQG RVTITADESTSTAYMELSSLRSEDTAVYYCA VPV--------- VPAASGPFDYWG QGTLVTVSS  7 heavy chain EVQLVESGGGLVKPGGSLRLSCAAS GFTFSSYSMN of Ab2 WVRQAPGKGLEWVS SISSSSRYIFYADSVKG RFTISRDNAKNSLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCA SLGYCSGGSCYGFPEGGNAFDIWG QGTMVTVSS  8 heavy chain QVQLQESGPGLVKPSETLSLTCTVS GGSFSGYYWS of Ab3 WIRQPPGKGLEWIG EIIHSGSTNYNPSLKS RVTISVDTSKNQFSLKLSSVTAADTAVYYCA RGDYYD--------- SSGAFDYWG QGTLVTVSS  9 heavy chain EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAAS GFTFSSYSMN of Ab4 WVRQAPGKGLEWVS SISSSSRYIFYADSVKG RFTISRDNAKNSLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYY-- SLGYCSGGSCYGFPEGGNAFDIWG QGTMVTVSS 10 heavy chain QVQLVQSGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCSAS GFTFSSYAMH of Ab5 WVRQAPGKGLEYVS AISSDGGSTYYADSVKG RFTISRDNSKNTLYLQMSSLRAEDTAVYYCV NDG------------ SSNHFDYWG QGTLVTVSS

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 1 (LFR1 or HFR1) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 2 SEQ ID Antibody NO and site Sequence 11 LFR1 of Ab1 ELTLTQSPATLSLSPGETATLSC 12 LFR1 of Ab2 ELVVTQPPSVSGAPGQRVTISC 13 LFR1 of Ab3 ELELTQPPSVSGAPGQRVTISC 14 LFR1 of Ab4 ELVLTQPPSASGTPGQRVTISC 15 LFR1 of Ab5 ELVVTQEPSLTVPPGGTVTLTC 16 HFR1 of Ab1 QVQLVQSGPEVKKPGSSVKVSCKAS 17 HFR1 of Ab2 EVQLVESGGGLVKPGGSLRLSCAAS 18 HFR1 of Ab3 QVQLQESGPGLVKPSETLSLTCTVS 19 HFR1 of Ab4 EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAAS 20 HFR1 of Ab5 QVQLVQSGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCSAS

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1 or HCDR1) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 3 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 21 LCDR1 of Ab1 GASQSVSTNYLA 22 LCDR1 of Ab2 SGSSSNIGNNTVN 23 LCDR1 of Ab3 TGSSSNIGAGYDVH 24 LCDR1 of Ab4 SGSSSNIGSNTVN 25 LCDR1 of Ab5 GSSTGPVTTTQYPY 26 HCDR1 of Ab1 GGTFSTYAIS 27 HCDR1 of Ab2 GFTFSSYSMN 28 HCDR1 of Ab3 GGSFSGYYWS 29 HCDR1 of Ab4 GFTFSSYSMN 30 HCDR1 of Ab5 GFTFSSYAMH

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 2 (LFR2 or HFR2) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 4 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 31 LFR2 of Ab1 WYQQKPGLAPRLLIY 32 LFR2 of Ab2 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY 33 LFR2 of Ab3 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY 34 LFR2 of Ab4 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY 35 LFR2 of Ab5 WFQQKPGQAPRTLIY 36 HFR2 of Ab1 WVRQAPGQGLEWMG 37 HFR2 of Ab2 WVRQAPGKGLEWVS 38 HFR2 of Ab3 WIRQPPGKGLEWIG 39 HFR2 of Ab4 WVRQAPGKGLEWVS 40 HFR2 of Ab5 WVRQAPGKGLEYVS

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2 or HCDR2) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 5 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 41 LCDR2 of Ab1 DASSRAT 42 LCDR2 of Ab2 SNNQRPS 43 LCDR2 of Ab3 GNSNRPS 44 LCDR2 of Ab4 SNNQRPP 45 LCDR2 of Ab5 DTNNRHP 46 HCDR2 of Ab1 GIIPISGTANYAQKFQG 47 HCDR2 of Ab2 SISSSSRYIFYADSVKG 48 HCDR2 of Ab3 EIIHSGSTNYNPSLKS 49 HCDR2 of Ab4 SISSSSRYIFYADSVKG 50 HCDR2 of Ab5 AISSDGGSTYYADSVKG

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 3 (LFR3 or HFR3) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 6 SEQ   ID Antibody NO and site Sequence 51 LFR3 of Ab1 GIPDRFSGSGSGTDFTLTISRLAPEDSAVYYC 52 LFR3 of Ab2 GVPDRFSGSKSGTSASLAITGLQADDEADYYC 53 LFR3 of Ab3 GVPDRFSGSKSDTSASLAISGLRSEDEADYYC 54 LFR3 of Ab4 GVPDRFSGSKSGTSASLAISGLQSEDEADYYC 55 LFR3 of Ab5 WTPARFSGSLLGGKAALTLSGAQPEDDA-YYC 56 HFR3 of Ab1 RVTITADESTSTAYMELSSLRSEDTAVYYCA 57 HFR3 of Ab2 RFTISRDNAKNSLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCA 58 HFR3 of Ab3 RVTISVDTSKNQFSLKLSSVTAADTAVYYCA 59 HFR3 of Ab4 RFTISRDNAKNSLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYY-- 60 HFR3 of Ab5 RFTISRDNSKNTLYLQMSSLRAEDTAVYYCV

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3 or HCDR3) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 7 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 61 LCDR3 of Ab1 QQYGSSPLT 62 LCDR3 of Ab2 QSFDSSLNDWV 63 LCDR3 of Ab3 AAWDDSLNGQVV 64 LCDR3 of Ab4 QSYDSSLSYV 65 LCDR3 of Ab5 LLTSASAPWV 66 HCDR3 of Ab1 VPV---------VPAASGPFDYWG 67 HCDR3 of Ab2 SLGYCSGGSCYGFPEGGNAFDIWG 68 HCDR3 of Ab3 RGDYYD---------SSGAFDYWG 69 HCDR3 of Ab4 SLGYCSGGSCYGFPEGGNAFDIWG 70 HCDR3 of Ab5 NDG------------SSNHFDYWG

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 4 (LFR4 or HFR4) of the antibody binding to Gc envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 8 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 71 LFR4 of Ab1 FGGGTKLEIK 72 LFR4 of Ab2 FGGGTKLTVL 73 LFR4 of Ab3 FGGGTKLTVL 74 LFR4 of Ab4 FGTGTKVTVL 75 LFR4 of Ab5 FGGGTKLTVL 76 HFR4 of Ab1 QGTLVTVSS 77 HFR4 of Ab2 QGTMVTVSS 78 HFR4 of Ab3 QGTLVTVSS 79 HFR4 of Ab4 QGTMVTVSS 80 HFR4 of Ab5 QGTLVTVSS

In some exemplary embodiments, the antibody specifically binding to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc may comprise a light chain comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and a heavy chain comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The antibody consisting of these specific sequences can specifically and effectively bind to the envelope glycoprotein, Gc, and thus can be very usefully used for detection of SFTSV.

In another exemplary embodiment, preferably, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc of the present invention can be provided as an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 1 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 6, an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 2 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 7, an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 3 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 8, an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 4 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 9, and an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 5 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 10.

In another exemplary embodiment, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc of the present invention can comprise a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70.

In another exemplary embodiment, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc of the present invention can be provided as an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 21, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 41, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 61, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 26, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 46, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 66; an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 22, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 42, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 62, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 27, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 47, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 67; an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 23, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 43, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 63, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 28, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 48, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 68; an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 24, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 44, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 64, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 29, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 49, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 69; or an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 25, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 45, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 65, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 30, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 50, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 70.

In one example, the amino acid sequences of antibody clones (Ab6-10) which binds to Gn envelope glycoprotein of the present invention are shown in the following Tables 9-16.

Amino acid sequences of light chains and heavy chains binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 9 SEQ ID Antibody NO and site Sequence 81 light chain ELALTQPPSVSVAPGKTAKITC GGDDIGSKTVQ of Ab6 WYQQTSGQAPVLVVY DDSDRPS GIPERFSGANSGNTATLTISRVEAGDEADYYC QVWDGRSDHVV FGGGTKLTVL 82 light chain ELVLTQPPSVSAAPGQKVTISC SGSSSNIGNNVVS of Ab7 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY DDNRRPS GIPDRFSGSKSGTSATLDITGLQTGDEADYYC ATWDGSLTAGRVL FGSGTKLTVL 83 light chain ELALTQPPSVSVAPAMTAKITC GGDDIGSTTVQ of Ab8 WYQQTSGQAPVLVVY DDSDRPS GIPERFSGANSGNTATLTISRVEAGDEADYYC QVWDGRSDHVV FGGGTKLTVL 84 light chain ELELTQPPSVSGTPGKRVSMSC SGSRSNIGGNVVN of Ab9 WYQQLPGKAPKLFIY NNDQRPS GVPDRVSGSKSGTSVSVAISGLQPEDEADYYC AAWDDILNGVV FGGGTQLTVL 85 light chain ELVMTQSPSSLSASVGDTVTITC RASQSIYTYLN of Ab10 WYHQTPGKAPKLLIS AASSLQS GVPSRFSGSGSGTDFTLTISSLQPEDFATYYC QQYADVPVT FGGGTKLEIK 86 heavy chain QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS GYIFTNYWIG of Ab6 WVRQMPGKGLEWM GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG QVTISADRSISTAYLQWSSLKASDTAMYYCA RLKLRGFSGGYGSGRRYFDYWG QGTLVTVSS 87 heavy chain QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS GYSFTSYWIG of Ab7 WVRQMPGKGLEWM GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG QVTISADKSISTAYLQWSSLKASDTAMYYCA RLKLRGFSGGYGSGSRYFDYWG QGTLVTVSS 88 heavy chain QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS GYIFTNYWIG of Ab8 WVRQMPGKGLEWM GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG QVTISADRSISTANLQWSSLKASDTALYYCA RLKLRGFSGGYGSGRRYFDYWG QGTLVTVSS 89 heavy chain QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS GYNFTNYWIG of Ab9 WVRQLPGKGLEWM GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG QVTISADKSISTAYLQWSSLKASDTAMYYCA RIRVIGFYD-- SSPPPLFDYWG QGTLVTVSS 90 heavy chain EVQLVESGGGVVQPGRSLRLSCAAS GFTFSGYGIH of Ab10 WVRQAPGKGLEWV ALISYDGSNKYYADSVKG RFTISRDNSKNTLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCA KDR-----DYFGSG-- FFDYWG QGTLVTVSS

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 1 (LFR1 or HFR1) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 10 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 91 LFR1 of Ab6 ELALTQPPSVSVAPGKTAKITC 92 LFR1 of Ab7 ELVLTQPPSVSAAPGQKVTISC 93 LFR1 of Ab8 ELALTQPPSVSVAPAMTAKITC 94 LFR1 of Ab9 ELELTQPPSVSGTPGKRVSMSC 95 LFR1 of Ab10 ELVMTQSPSSLSASVGDTVTITC 96 HFR1 of Ab6 QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS 97 HFR1 of Ab7 QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS 98 HFR1 of Ab8 QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS 99 HFR1 of Ab9 QVQLVQSGAEVKKPGESLKISCKGS 100 HFR1 of Ab10 EVQLVESGGGVVQPGRSLRLSCAAS

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1 or HCDR1) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 11 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 101 LCDR1 of Ab6 GGDDIGSKTVQ 102 LCDR1 of Ab7 SGSSSNIGNNVVS 103 LCDR1 of Ab8 GGDDIGSTTVQ 104 LCDR1 of Ab9 SGSRSNIGGNVVN 105 LCDR1 of Ab10 RASQSIYTYLN 106 HCDR1 of Ab6 GYIFTNYWIG 107 HCDR1 of Ab7 GYSFTSYWIG 108 HCDR1 of Ab8 GYIFTNYWIG 109 HCDR1 of Ab9 GYNFTNYWIG 110 HCDR1 of Ab10 GFTFSGYGIH

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 2 (LFR2 or HFR2) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 12 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 111 LFR2 of Ab6 WYQQTSGQAPVLVVY 112 LFR2 of Ab7 WYQQLPGTAPKLLIY 113 LFR2 of Ab8 WYQQTSGQAPVLVVY 114 LFR2 of Ab9 WYQQLPGKAPKLFIY 115 LFR2 of Ab10 WYHQTPGKAPKLLIS 116 HFR2 of Ab6 WVRQMPGKGLEWM 117 HFR2 of Ab7 WVRQMPGKGLEWM 118 HFR2 of Ab8 WVRQMPGKGLEWM 119 HFR2 of Ab9 WVRQLPGKGLEWM 120 HFR2 of Ab10 WVRQAPGKGLEWV

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2 or HCDR2) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 13 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 121 LCDR2 of Ab6 DDSDRPS 122 LCDR2 of Ab7 DDNRRPS 123 LCDR2 of Ab8 DDSDRPS 124 LCDR2 of Ab9 NNDQRPS 125 LCDR2 of Ab10 AASSLQS 126 HCDR2 of Ab6 GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG 127 HCDR2 of Ab7 GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG 128 HCDR2 of Ab8 GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG 129 HCDR2 of Ab9 GIIYPGDSDTRYSPSFQG 130 HCDR2 of Ab10 ALISYDGSNKYYADSVKG

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 3 (LFR3 or HFR3) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 14 SEQ   ID Antibody NO and site Sequence 131 LFR3 of Ab6 GIPERFSGANSGNTATLTISRVEAGDEADYYC 132 LFR3 of Ab7 GIPDRFSGSKSGTSATLDITGLQTGDEADYYC 133 LFR3 of Ab8 GIPERFSGANSGNTATLTISRVEAGDEADYYC 134 LFR3 of Ab9 GVPDRVSGSKSGTSVSVAISGLQPEDEADYYC 135 LFR3 of Ab10 GVPSRFSGSGSGTDFTLTISSLQPEDFATYYC 136 HFR3 of Ab6 QVTISADRSISTAYLQWSSLKASDTAMYYCA 137 HFR3 of Ab7 QVTISADKSISTAYLQWSSLKASDTAMYYCA 138 HFR3 of Ab8 QVTISADRSISTANLQWSSLKASDTALYYCA 139 HFR3 of Ab9 QVTISADKSISTAYLQWSSLKASDTAMYYCA 140 HFR3 of Ab10 RFTISRDNSKNTLYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCA

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3 or HCDR3) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 15 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 141 LCDR3 of Ab6 QVWDGRSDHVV 142 LCDR3 of Ab7 ATWDGSLTAGRVL 143 LCDR3 of Ab8 QVWDGRSDHVV 144 LCDR3 of Ab9 AAWDDILNGVV 145 LCDR3 of Ab10 QQYADVPVT 146 HCDR3 of Ab6 RLKLRGFSGGYGSGRRYFDYWG 147 HCDR3 of Ab7 RLKLRGFSGGYGSGSRYFDYWG 148 HCDR3 of Ab8 RLKLRGFSGGYGSGRRYFDYWG 149 HCDR3 of Ab9 RIRVIGFYD--SSPPPLFDYWG 150 HCDR3 of Ab10 KDR-----DYFGSG--FFDYWG

Amino acid sequences of light chain or heavy chain framework region 4 (LFR4 or HFR4) of the antibody binding to Gn envelope glycoprotein.

TABLE 16 SEQ ID Antibody and NO site Sequence 151 LFR4 of Ab6 FGGGTKLTVL 152 LFR4 of Ab7 FGSGTKLTVL 153 LFR4 of Ab8 FGGGTKLTVL 154 LFR4 of Ab9 FGGGTQLTVL 155 LFR4 of Ab10 FGGGTKLEIK 156 HFR4 of Ab6 QGTLVTVSS 157 HFR4 of Ab7 QGTLVTVSS 158 HFR4 of Ab8 QGTLVTVSS 159 HFR4 of Ab9 QGTLVTVSS 160 HFR4 of Ab10 QGTLVTVSS

In one exemplary embodiment, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gn of the present invention may comprise a light chain comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85, and a heavy chain comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO 86, 87, 88, 89 and 90. The antibody consisting of these specific sequences can specifically and effectively bind to the envelope glycoprotein, Gn, and thus can be very usefully used for detection of SFTSV.

In another exemplary embodiment, preferably, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gn of the present invention can be provided as an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 81 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 86, an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 82 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 87, an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 83 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 88, an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 84 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 89, and an antibody comprising a light chain comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 85 and a heavy chain comprising an amino acid of SEQ ID NO 90.

In another exemplary embodiment, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gn of the present invention can comprise a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 121, 122, 123, 124 and 125, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 141, 142, 143, 144 and 145, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 106, 107, 108, 109 and 110, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 126, 127, 128, 129 and 130, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 146, 147, 148, 149 and 150.

In another exemplary embodiment, the antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gn of the present invention can be provided as an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 101, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 121, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 141, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 106, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 126, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 146; an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 102, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 122, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 142, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 107, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 127, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 147; an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 103, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 123, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 143, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 108, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 128, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 148; an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 104, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 124, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 144, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 109, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 129, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 149; or an antibody comprising a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 105, a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 125, a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 145, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) of SEQ ID NO 110, a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) of SEQ ID NO 130, and a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) of SEQ ID NO 150.

In one exemplary embodiment, the antibody of the present invention may include an antibody comprising an amino acid which is a homologue of an antibody comprising heavy chains and light chains described in the above Table 1 or Table 9. In addition, the antibody of the present invention may comprise a light chain variable region comprising the LCDR1, LCDR2 and LCDR3 sequences, and a heavy chain variable region comprising HCDR1, HCDR2 and HCDR3 sequences, and at least one of these CDR sequences may have the antibody disclosed herein or a specific amino acid sequence based on its conservative modification. In addition, the antibody of the present invention may be an antibody possessing functional properties of antibody binding to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc or Gn, and may be an antibody which binds to a same epitope as an antibody comprising heavy chains and light chains disclosed in Table 1 or Table 9. Furthermore, the antibody of the present invention may be prepared using an antibody having one or more kinds of light chains or antibody sequences suggested herein as a starting material for engineering the modified antibody, and comprise all the antibodies having partially modified properties from the starting antibody.

In the present invention, the antibody may comprise a modification to the framework region in the light chain or heavy chain in order to improve properties of the antibody. In addition, the antibody may have at least 1×10⁷ M⁻¹, 1×10⁸ M⁻¹, 1×10⁹ M⁻¹, 1×10¹⁰ M⁻¹ or 1×10¹¹ M⁻¹ of affinity constant (KA) for the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV.

In addition, the antibody of the present invention may be a complete human antibody which specifically binds to the SFTSV envelope glycoprotein. This can have further reduced antigenicity when administered into a human subject, compared with chimera antibody, etc. The human antibody may comprise a heavy chain or light chain variable region, or a full length of heavy chain or light chain that are products of or one derived from a specific germline sequence, when it is collected from a system using a variable region or full length chain human germ line immunoglobulin gene. Moreover, the antibody of the present invention may be a De-immunized antibody having antigenicity.

In addition, in the present invention, the antigen may be a bispecific or a multispecific antibody. The antibody or its antigen-binding fragment of the present invention may be a bispecific molecule binding to two or more of different binding sites or target molecules.

In some exemplary embodiments, the antibody of the present invention may be a monoclonal antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV. For example, the antibody of the present invention may be a human or humanized monoclonal antibody or chimera antibody which specifically binds to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, and the antibody of the present invention may comprise a human heavy chain constant region and a human light chain constant region. In addition, the antibody of the present invention may be a single chain antibody, and the antibody of the present invention may be a Fab fragment, and may be a scFv (Single-chain variable fragment), and may be an IgG isotype. Preferably, the antibody of the present invention may be the scFv.

In the present invention, the monoclonal antibody may be produced by common monoclonal antibody methods, and the synthesized antibody genes can be expressed and purified by inserting them into a vector for antibody expression, preferably pcDNA, pCI, pCMV or pCEP4. In addition, viral or carcinogenic transformation of B lymphocytes may be used, and it may be prepared on the basis of the sequence of murine monoclonal antibody prepared using a murine system. For example, using a standard molecule biology technology, a DNA encoding heavy chain and light chain immunoglobulins is obtained from a murine hybridoma, and a non-murine immunoglobulin sequence can be contained with it.

In some exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides an antibody comprising a framework in which an amino acid is substituted with an antibody framework from each human VH or VL germline sequence, or its antigen binding fragment.

In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a light chain comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and a polypeptide comprising a heavy chain comprising any one of amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. In one embodiment, the nucleic acid may be any one of nucleic acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169 and 170, and this is shown in the following Table 17 (The bolded parts are light chain variable regions (VL), and the underlined parts are heavy chain variable regions (VH)).

TABLE 17 SEQ ID NO Antibody Nucleic acid sequence 161 Ab1 GAGCTCACACTCACGCAGTCTCCAGCCACCCTGTCTTTGTCTCCAG scFv GGGAAACAGCCACCCTCTCCTGCGGGGCCAGTCAGAGTGTTAGCA CCAACTACTTAGCCTGGTACCAGCAGAAACCTGGCCTGGCGCCCA GGCTCCTCATCTATGATGCATCCAGCAGGGCCACTGGCATCCCAG ACAGGTTCAGTGGCAGTGGGTCTGGGACAGACTTCACTCTCACCA TCAGCAGACTGGCGCCTGAAGATTCTGCGGTGTATTACTGTCAGC AATATGGTAGCTCACCTCTCACTTTCGGCGGAGGGACCAAGCTGG AGATCAAAGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGGTGGCGGTGG CTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCTGGTGCAGTCTGGGCCTGA GGTGAAGAAGCCTGGGTCCTCGGTGAAGGTCTCCTGCAAGGCTTCT GGAGGCACCTTCAGCACCTATGCTATCAGCTGGGTGCGACAGGCC CCTGGACAAGGGCTTGAGTGGATGGGAGGGATCATCCCTATCTCTG GTACAGCAAACTACGCACAGAAATTCCAGGGCAGAGTCACCATTAC CGCGGACGAATCCACGAGCACAGCCTACATGGAGCTGAGCAGCCT GAGATCTGAGGACACGGCCGTGTATTACTGTGCGGTACCAGTAGTA CCAGCTGCCAGCGGCCCTTTTGACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTG GTCACCGTCTCCTCAGCC 162 Ab2 GAGCTCGTGGTGACGCAGCCGCCCTCAGTGTCTGGGGCCCCAGG scFv GCAGAGGGTCACCATCTCCTGTTCTGGAAGCAGCTCCAACATCGG AAATAATACTGTAAACTGGTACCAGCAGCTCCCAGGAACGGCCCC CAAACTCCTCATCTATAGTAATAATCAGCGGCCCTCAGGGGTCCCT GACCGATTCTCTGGCTCCAAGTCTGGCACCTCAGCCTCCCTGGCC ATCACTGGGCTCCAGGCTGACGATGAGGCTGATTATTACTGCCAG TCCTTTGACAGCAGCCTGAATGATTGGGTGTTCGGCGGGGGCACC AAGCTGACCGTCCTAGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTG GTGGCGGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGGAGGTGCAGCTGGTGGAG TCTGGGGGAGGCCTGGTCAAGCCTGGGGGGTCCCTGAGACTCTCC TGTGCAGCCTCTGGATTCACCTTCAGTAGCTATAGCATGAACTGGGT CCGCCAGGCTCCAGGGAAGGGGCTGGAGTGGGTCTCATCCATTAG TAGTAGTAGTCGTTACATATTCTACGCAGACTCAGTGAAGGGCCGAT TCACCATCTCCAGAGACAACGCCAAGAACTCACTGTATCTGCAAATG AACAGCCTGAGAGCCGAGGACACGGCTGTGTATTACTGTGCGAGC CTAGGATATTGTAGTGGTGGTAGCTGCTACGGGTTCCCGGAAGGTG GGAATGCTTTTGATATCTGGGGCCAAGGGACAATGGTCACCGTCTC TTCA 163 Ab3 GAGCTCGAGCTGACTCAGCCACCCTCAGTGTCTGGGGCCCCAGG scFv GCAGAGGGTCACCATCTCCTGCACTGGGAGCAGCTCCAACATCGG GGCAGGTTATGATGTACACTGGTACCAGCAGCTTCCAGGAACAGC CCCCAAACTCCTCATCTATGGTAACAGCAATCGGCCCTCAGGGGT CCCTGACCGATTCTCTGGCTCCAAGTCTGACACCTCAGCCTCCCTG GCCATCAGTGGGCTCCGGTCCGAGGATGAGGCTGATTATTACTGT GCAGCATGGGATGACAGCCTGAATGGCCAGGTGGTATTCGGCGG AGGCACCAAGCTGACCGTCCTAGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTC CTCCTCTGGTGGCGGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCT GCAGGAGTCGGGCCCAGGACTGGTGAAGCCTTCGGAGACCCTGTC CCTCACCTGCACTGTCTCTGGTGGGTCCTTCAGTGGTTACTACTGG AGCTGGATCCGCCAGCCCCCAGGAAAGGGGCTGGAGTGGATTGGG GAAATCATTCATAGTGGAAGCACCAACTACAACCCGTCCCTCAAGA GTCGAGTCACCATATCAGTAGACACGTCCAAGAACCAATTCTCCCTG AAGCTGAGCTCTGTGACCGCCGCGGACACGGCTGTGTATTACTGTG CGAGAGGTGATTATTATGATAGTAGTGGTGCCTTTGACTACTGGGG CCAGGGAACCCTGGTCACCGTCTCCTCA 164 Ab4 GAGCTCGTGCTGACTCAGCCACCTTCAGCGTCTGGGACCCCCGGG scFv CAGAGGGTCACCATCTCTTGTTCTGGAAGCAGCTCCAACATCGGA AGTAATACTGTAAACTGGTACCAGCAGCTCCCCGGAACGGCCCCC AAACTCCTCATCTATAGTAATAATCAGCGGCCCCCAGGGGTCCCT GACCGATTCTCTGGCTCCAAGTCTGGCACCTCAGCCTCCCTGGCC ATCAGTGGGCTCCAGTCTGAGGATGAGGCTGATTATTACTGCCAG TCCTATGACAGCAGCCTGAGTTATGTCTTCGGAACTGGCACCAAG GTGACCGTCCTAGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGGTG GCGGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGGAGGTGCAGCTGGTGGAGTCT GGGGGAGGCTTGGTACAGCCGGGGGGGTCCCTGAGACTCTCCTGT GCAGCCTCTGGATTCACCTTCAGTAGCTATAGCATGAACTGGGTCC GCCAGGCTCCAGGGAAGGGGCTGGAGTGGGTCTCATCCATTAGTA GTAGTAGTCGTTACATATTCTACGCAGACTCAGTGAAGGGCCGATTC ACCATCTCCAGAGACAACGCCAAGAACTCACTGTATCTGCAAATGAA CAGCCTGAGAGCCGAGGACACGGCTGTGTATTACTGTGCGAGCCTA GGATATTGTAGTGGTGGTAGCTGCTACGGGTTCCCGGAAGGTGGG AATGCTTTTGATATCTGGGGCCAAGGGACAATGGTCACCGTCTCTTC A 165 Ab5 GAGCTCGTGGTGACCCAGGAGCCCTCACTGACTGTGCCCCCAGGA scFv GGGACAGTCACTCTCACCTGTGGCTCCAGCACTGGACCTGTCACC ACTACTCAGTATCCCTACTGGTTCCAGCAGAAGCCTGGCCAGGCC CCCAGGACACTCATTTATGATACCAACAACAGACACCCCTGGACA CCTGCCCGCTTCTCAGGCTCCCTCCTTGGGGGCAAGGCTGCCCTG ACCCTTTCGGGAGCGCAGCCTGAGGATGACGCTTAGTATTATTGCT TGCTCACCTCTGCTAGCGCTCCTTGGGTGTTCGGCGGAGGCACCA AGCTGACCGTCCTAGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGG TGGCGGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCTGGTGCAGT CTGGGGGAGGCTTGGTCCAGCCTGGGGGGTCCCTGAGACTCTCCT GTTCAGCCTCTGGATTCACCTTCAGTAGCTATGCTATGCACTGGGTC CGCCAGGCTCCAGGGAAGGGACTGGAATATGTTTCAGCTATTAGTA GTGATGGGGGTAGCACATACTACGCAGACTCCGTGAAGGGCAGATT CACCATCTCCAGAGACAATTCCAAGAACACGCTGTATCTTCAAATGA GCAGTCTGAGAGCTGAGGACACGGCTGTATATTACTGTGTGAACGA TGGCAGCTCGAACCATTTTGACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTGGTC ACCGTCTCCTCA 166 Ab6 GAGCTCGCCCTGACTCAGCCTCCCTCCGTGTCAGTGGCCCCAGGA scFv AAGACGGCCAAGATTACCTGTGGGGGTGACGACATTGGAAGTAAA ACTGTGCAATGGTACCAACAGACCTCAGGCCAGGCCCCTGTGCTG GTCGTCTATGACGATAGCGACCGGCCCTCAGGGATCCCTGAGCGA TTCTCCGGCGCCAACTCTGGGAACACGGCCACCCTGACCATCAGC AGGGTCGAAGCCGGGGATGAGGCCGACTATTACTGTCAGGTGTG GGACGGCAGAAGTGATCATGTGGTTTTCGGCGGAGGGACCAAGCT GACCGTCCTAGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGGTGGC GGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCTGGTGCAGTCTGG AGCAGAGGTGAAAAAGCCCGGGGAGTCTCTGAAGATCTCCTGTAAG GGTTCTGGATACATCTTTACCAACTACTGGATCGGCTGGGTGCGCC AGATGCCCGGGAAAGGCCTGGAGTGGATGGGGATCATCTATCCTG GTGACTCTGATACCAGATACAGCCCGTCCTTCCAAGGCCAGGTCAC CATCTCAGCCGACAGGTCCATCAGCACCGCCTACCTGCAGTGGAGC AGCCTGAAGGCCTCGGACACCGCCATGTATTACTGTGCGAGACTAA AGCTCCGGGGGTTTTCGGGCGGCTATGGTTCAGGGAGACGCTACT TTGACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTGGTCACCGTCTCCTCA 167 Ab7 GAGCTCGTGCTGACGCAGCCGCCCTCAGTGTCTGCGGCCCCAGG scFv ACTGAAGGTCACCATCTCCTGCTCTGGAAGCAGCTCTAACATTGG GAATAATGTTGTATCCTGGTACCAGCAACTCCCAGGAACAGCCCC CAAACTCCTCATTTATGACGATAACCGGCGACCCTCAGGGATTCCT GACCGATTCTCTGGCTCCAAGTCTGGCACGTCAGCCACCCTGGAC ATCACCGGACTCCAGACTGGGGACGAGGCCGATTACTACTGCGCA ACATGGGATGGCAGCCTGACTGCTGGCCGTGTGTTGTTCGGCAGT GGCACCAAGCTGACCGTCCTAGGTGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCT CCTCTGGTGGCGGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCTG GTGCAGTCTGGAGCAGAGGTGAAAAAGCCCGGGGAGTCTCTGAAG ATCTCCTGTAAGGGTTCTGGATACAGCTTTACCAGCTACTGGATCGG CTGGGTGCGCCAGATGCCCGGGAAAGGCCTGGAGTGGATGGGGAT CATCTATCCTGGTGACTCTGATACCAGATACAGCCCGTCCTTCCAAG GCCAGGTCACCATCTCAGCCGACAAGTCCATCAGCACCGCCTACCT GCAGTGGAGCAGCCTGAAGGCCTCGGACACCGCCATGTATTACTGT GCGAGACTAAAGCTCCGGGGGTTTTCGGGCGGCTATGGTTCAGGG AGCCGCTACTTTGACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTGGTCACCGTCT CCTCA 168 Ab8 GAGCTCGCCCTGACTCAGCCTCCCTCCGTGTCAGTGGCCCCAGCA scFv ATGACGGCCAAGATTACCTGTGGGGGTGACGACATTGGAAGTACT ACTGTGCAATGGTACCAACAGACCTCAGGCCAGGCCCCTGTGCTG GTCGTCTATGACGATAGCGACCGGCCCTCAGGGATCCCTGAGCGA TTCTCCGGCGCCAACTCTGGGAACACGGCCACCCTGACCATCAGC AGGGTCGAAGCCGGGGATGAGGCCGACTATTACTGTCAGGTGTG GGACGGCAGAAGTGATCATGTGGTTTTCGGCGGAGGGACCAAGCT GACCGTCCTAGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGGTGGC GGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCTGGTGCAGTCTGG AGCAGAGGTGAAAAAGCCCGGGGAGTCTCTGAAGATCTCCTGTAAG GGTTCTGGATACATCTTTACCAACTACTGGATCGGCTGGGTGCGCC AGATGCCCGGGAAAGGCCTGGAGTGGATGGGGATCATCTATCCTG GTGACTCTGATACCAGATACAGCCCGTCCTTCCAAGGCCAGGTCAC CATCTCAGCCGACAGGTCCATCAGCACCGCCAACCTGCAGTGGAG CAGCCTGAAGGCCTCGGACACCGCCCTGTATTACTGTGCGAGACTA AAGCTCCGGGGGTTTTCGGGCGGCTATGGTTCAGGGAGACGCTAC TTTGACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTGGTCACCGTCTCCTCA 169 Ab9 GAGCTCGAGCTGACTCAGCCACCCTCAGTGTCTGGGACCCCCGGG scFv AAGAGGGTCAGTATGTCTTGTTCTGGAAGTAGGTCCAACATCGGA GGTAATGTTGTGAACTGGTACCAGCAGCTCCCAGGAAAGGCCCCC AAACTCTTCATCTACAATAATGATCAGCGGCCCTCAGGGGTCCCTG ACCGAGTCTCTGGCTCCAAGTCAGGCACCTCAGTCTCCGTGGCCA TCAGTGGGCTCCAGCCTGAAGATGAGGCTGATTATTACTGTGCAG CTTGGGATGACATCCTGAATGGTGTGGTCTTCGGCGGAGGGACCC AGCTGACCGTCCTCGGCGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGG TGGCGGTGGCTCGGGCGGTGGTGGGCAGGTGCAGCTGGTGCAGT CTGGAGCAGAGGTGAAAAAGCCCGGGGAGTCTCTGAAGATCTCCT GTAAGGGTTCTGGATACAACTTCACCAACTACTGGATCGGGTGGGT GCGCCAGCTGCCCGGGAAAGGCCTGGAGTGGATGGGGATCATCTA TCCTGGTGACTCCGACACCAGATATAGCCCGTCCTTCCAAGGCCAG GTCACCATCTCAGCCGACAAGTCCATCAGCACCGCCTACCTGCAGT GGAGCAGCCTGAAGGCCTCGGACACCGCCATGTATTACTGTGCGA GAATTCGAGTTATCGGATTCTATGATAGTAGCCCCCCGCCCTTATTT GACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTGGTCACCGTCTCCTCA 170 Ab10 GAGCTCGTGATGACTCAGTCTCCATCTTCCCTGTCCGCATCTGTGG scFv GAGACACAGTCACCATCACTTGCCGGGCAAGTCAGAGCATTTACA CCTATTTAAATTGGTATCACCAGACACCAGGGAAAGCCCCTAAACT CCTGATTTCTGCTGCATCTAGTTTGCAAAGTGGTGTCCCATCAAGG TTCAGTGGCAGTGGGTCTGGGACAGATTTCACTCTCACCATCAGC AGTCTGCAACCTGAGGATTTTGCAACGTACTACTGTCAACAGTATG CGGATGTCCCGGTCACTTTCGGCGGAGGGACCAAGCTGGAGATCA AAGGTGGTTCCTCTAGATCTTCCTCCTCTGGTGGCGGTGGCTCGGG CGGTGGTGGGGAGGTGCAGCTGGTGGAGTCTGGGGGAGGCGTGG TCCAGCCTGGGAGGTCCCTGAGACTCTCCTGTGCAGCCTCTGGATT CACCTTCAGTGGCTATGGCATACACTGGGTCCGCCAGGCTCCAGGC AAGGGGCTGGAGTGGGTGGCACTTATATCATATGATGGAAGTAATA AATACTATGCAGACTCCGTGAAGGGCCGATTCACCATCTCCAGAGA CAATTCCAAGAACACGCTGTATCTGCAAATGAACAGCCTGAGAGCT GAGGACACGGCTGTGTATTACTGTGCGAAAGATCGGGATTACTTTG GTTCAGGGTTCTTTGACTACTGGGGCCAGGGAACCCTGGTCACCGT CTCCTCA

In another exemplary embodiment, the antibody of the present invention may comprise an amino acid sequence having at least 90%, 95%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity with any one of amino acid sequences disclosed in the above Tables 1-16, within the range that the antibody specificity to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV is maintained. In addition, a nucleic acid which can express the antibody of the present invention may comprise a nucleic acid having at least 90%, 95%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identity with any one of nucleic acid sequences disclosed in the above Table 17.

In addition, the present invention provides a vector and a host cell comprising the nucleic acid. The vector of the present invention may comprise a nucleic acid encoding an amino acid sequence of the antibody binding to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc, or a nucleic acid encoding an amino acid of the antibody binding to Gn. Otherwise, the vector of the present invention may express a bispecific antibody, by comprising all the two kinds of nucleic acids.

In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides (1) a first recombinant DNA fragment encoding a heavy chain of the antibody of the present invention, and (2) a second recombinant DNA fragment encoding a light chain of the antibody of the present invention. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a host cell comprising a recombinant DNA fragment encoding a heavy chain and a light chain of the present invention, respectively. In some exemplary embodiments, the antibody or its antigen binding fragment is a human monoclonal antibody or its antigen binding fragment.

To express a polynucleotide encoding the antibody binding to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV of the present invention, various expression vectors can be used. To produce an antibody in a mammalian host cell, both of virus-based or non-viral expression vector may be used. For example, vectors such as pcDNA, pCI, pCMV or pCEP4, and the like and host cells such as HEK293, CHO or CHO-DG44, and the like may be used.

The host cell possessing and expressing the antibody of the present invention may be a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. For example, the host cell may be E. coli, preferably, E. coli ER2738. HB2151, BL21 and the like, and they may be useful for cloning and expressing the polynucleotide of the present invention. In addition, as other microbial hosts, Bacillus, for example, Bacillus subtilis or other intestinal bacteria, for example, Salmonella or Serratia, or various Pseudomonas species may be used. To express the antibody of the present invention, other microorganisms, for example, yeasts can be used, and an insect cell combined with a baculovirus vector may be also used.

In some preferable exemplary embodiments, a mammalian host cell may be used for expressing and preparing the SFTSV envelope glycoprotein binding polypeptide of the present invention. For example, it may be a hybridoma cell line expressing an endogenous immunoglobulin gene or a mammalian cell line possessing an exogenous expression vector. Further, it may comprise for example, CHO cell line, Cos cell line, HeLa cell, myeloma cell line, HEK cell line, transformed B-cell and hybridoma, as any animal or human cell. In addition, numerous appropriate host cell lines which can secret an immunoglobulin can be used, and preferably, HEK293, CHO or CHO-DG44 may be used.

In addition, the present invention provides a composition for diagnosing SFTSV comprising one or more kinds of SFTSV envelope glycoprotein binding molecules (for example, Gc or Gn binding antibody or its antigen binding fragment). The composition for diagnosis of the present invention may be usefully used for detection, isolation or purification of SFTSV. Moreover, the composition may further comprise one or more kinds of other agents appropriate for diagnosing SFTSV. In addition, the present invention provides a method for diagnosing SFTSV using the antibody of the present invention. The method may be used for quantitative or qualitative detection or diagnosis of SFTSV. Specifically, the diagnosis method may comprise a diagnosis examination to determine the expression of envelope glycoprotein and/or nucleic acid of SFTSV and the function of envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV from a biological sample (for example, blood, serum, cell or tissue) or a subject who is suffering from or at risk of developing SFTS. In the present invention, the detection includes quantitative and/or qualitative analysis, and includes detection of existence and absence and detection of virus titer, and this method has been known in the art, and those skilled in the art may select a proper method to conduct the present invention.

In the present invention, the detection of diagnosis or diagnosis of SFTSV may be detected by radio immunoassay, western blot, ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) or immune fluorescence assay, etc. which detects an antigen-antibody complex. In the present invention, an antigen may be labeled with a label such as a radioactive material, enzyme or fluorescent material, etc.

In one embodiment, the method of diagnosis of the present invention may use a complex in which the antibody to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV is conjugated to magnetic beads. Specifically, the method can more effectively detect, isolate or purify SFTSV, using the complex in which the antibody specific to the envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc or Gn is combined to magnetic beads. The antibody to the SFTSV envelope glycoprotein-magnetic bead complex combines with SFTSV existed in a subject using properties of the antibody and at that time, when the magnetic beads are pulled by magnetic power, viruses and other materials in the subject are separated, thereby effectively purifying the virus. The virus purified in this way is relatively useful for RNA isolation, as impurities are removed, and through this, purification result data of good quality can be obtained. In addition, an immunochemical response using another antibody can be processed for the virus attached to magnetic beads, and through this, SFTSV existed in the subject can be rapidly confirmed. The schematic figure of the diagnosis method was shown in FIG. 4.

In addition, the present invention provides a kit for diagnosing SFTSV comprising an antibody binding to an envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV. The kit may comprise any one or more aforementioned antibodies and a reagent for detecting an antigen-antibody complex. As the reagent for detecting an antigen-antibody complex, reagents used for radio immunoassay, ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) or immune fluorescence assay and the like may be used.

For example, for the detection of the immunoreaction, the detection reagent may be labeled directly or indirectly in the form of sandwich. In case of direct labeling method, a serum sample used for array, etc. may be labeled by a fluorescence label such as Cy3 or Cy5. In case of sandwich method, the detection may be performed by combining a target protein with a labeled detection antibody, after combining a non-labeled serum sample with an array in which a detection reagent is attached in advance. In case of sandwich method, as the sensitivity and specificity can be increased, the detection in the level of pg/mL is possible. Besides that, a radioactive material, a color material, a magnetic particle or a dense electron particle and the like may be used as a labeling material. A confocal microscope may be used for the fluorescence strength, and for example, may be obtained from Affymetrix, Inc. or Agilent Technologies, Inc, etc.

The kit of the present invention may further comprise one or more additional components needed for binding analysis, and for example, may further comprise a binding buffer, a reagent needed for sample preparation, a syringe for blood collection or negative and/or positive control. The kit of the present invention which can comprise various detection reagents may be provided for ELISA analysis, dip stick rapid kit analysis, microarray, gene amplification, or immunoassay, etc. according to analysis aspects, and proper detection reagents may be sorted according to the analysis aspects.

In addition, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody binding to SFTSV envelope glycoprotein of the present invention. Preferably, the pharmaceutical composition may be used for prevention or treatment of SFTS. The antibody of the present invention can effectively prevent or treat SFTS, by neutralizing SFTSV and blocking proliferation of virus.

In the present invention, the composition may further contain one or more kinds of other agents appropriate for treating or preventing an SFTSV related disease. The carrier which can be used for the pharmaceutical composition may enhance the effect of composition, or stabilize the composition, or make preparation of the composition easy. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier may comprise a physiologically acceptable solvent, a dispersive medium, a coating agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an anti-fungal agent, an isotonic agent or an absorption delaying agent and the like.

In the present invention, the pharmaceutical composition may be administered by a variety of methods known in the art, and the administration route and/or method may vary depending on the desired result. The pharmaceutical composition may be administered by administration methods, for example, intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal or subcutaneous, and the like. According to the administration route, the active compound, antibody may be coated with a material protecting the compound from the action of acids and other natural conditions which may inactivate the compound.

In the present invention, the composition may be a sterile fluid. To maintain a proper fluidity, for example, a coating material such as lecithin or a surfactant may be used. In addition, the composition may comprise an isotonic agent (for example, sugar, polyalcohol, mannitol, sorbitol, and sodium chloride, etc.) or an absorption delaying agent (aluminum monostearate or gelatin, etc.).

In the present invention, the pharmaceutical composition may be prepared according to methods known in the art and commonly conducted, and preferably, may be prepared under GMP condition. The pharmaceutical composition may comprise a therapeutically effective dose or efficacious dose of the SFTSV envelope glycoprotein binding antibody. In addition, the dosage level of active ingredients in the pharmaceutical composition may be enough to achieve a therapeutic effect without toxicity to a patient.

In the present invention, the treatment dosage may be titrated to optimize safety and efficacy. When the antibody of the present invention is administered systemically, the range of dosage may be about 0.0001 to 100 mg, more commonly 0.01 to 15 mg per 1 kg of the host body weight. An exemplary treatment method entails systemic administration once per two weeks, or once per one month, or once per three months to 6 months. In some methods of systemic administration, the dosage is, and in some methods, the dosage may be adjusted to achieve the serum antibody concentration of 1 to 1000 μg/mL in some methods of systemic administration and 25 to 500 μg/mL in some methods. Otherwise, when less frequent administration is required, the antibody may be administered by a time-release agent. The dosage and frequency may be differed according to the half-life of the antibody in a patient. In prophylactic purposes, the relatively low dosage may be administered at relatively infrequent intervals for a long period of time.

In addition, the present invention provides a method for preventing or treating SFTS using the pharmaceutical composition. The prevention or treatment method may comprise administering the composition comprising the antibody of the present invention in an therapeutically effective amount. The “therapeutically effective amount” indicates an amount of the antibody of the present invention or the composition comprising thereof which is effective for prevention or treatment of SFTS diseases.

In addition, the present invention provides a use of an SFTSV envelope glycoprotein binding antibody for preparation of a composition for diagnosis of SFTSV. For the preparation of the composition for diagnosis, the antibody or composition comprising thereof of the present invention may comprise additional components such as an acceptable carrier, etc.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a use of an SFTSV envelope glycoprotein binding antibody. The antibody which specifically binds to SFTSV of the present invention may be used for SFTSV diagnosis, and may be used as a diagnosis use determining expression of the envelope glycoprotein and/or nucleic acid of SFTSV and the function of the protein from a subject who is suffering from or at risk of developing SFTS. In addition, the antibody of the present invention may be used as a use of prevention or treatment of SFTS occurred by SFTSV for a who is at risk of developing or suffering from SFTS.

Advantageous Effects

The antibody of the present invention can specifically bind to envelope glycoprotein of SFTSV, Gc or Gn, and thus SFTSV can be effectively detected or diagnosed and SFTS can be treated, using the antibody of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the amino acid sequences of antibody clones Ab1 to Ab10.

FIG. 2 shows the ELISA analysis result of scFv fragment antibody purified for SFTSV envelope glycoprotein Gc and Gn. These data show mean±S.D of 3 times repeated samples.

FIGS. 3A and 3B is (A) the immune fluorescence analysis result and (B) the fluorescence strength measurement of SFTSV infection. In the immune fluorescence analysis result, it was shown that Vero cells infected by SFTSV reacted with the antibody to Gn, and it was shown that Ab10 inhibited the virus infection dose-dependently. Ab10 was significantly excellent in inhibiting virus invasion compared with MAb 4-5.

FIG. 4 is a schematic figure showing the method for detecting SFTSV using an antibody-magnetic bead complex.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, examples, etc. will be described in detail to facilitate understanding of the present invention. However, the examples according to the present invention can be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following examples. The examples of the present invention are provided to describe the present invention more completely to those skilled in the art.

Example 1: Preparation of Cells

Vero cells derived from African green monkey kidneys were purchased from Korean Cell Line Bank, and cultured at 37° C. under 5% carbon dioxide circumstance with Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI)-1640 medium (Welgene) supplemented with 2% heat inactivated fetal bovine serum (Gibco) and penicillin-streptomycin (Gibco).

Example 2: Preparation of Virus Strains

The SFTS virus used in the present experiment was KF358691 which was isolated from a serum sample of 63-year-old female patient who was hospitalized in Seoul National University hospital and dead in 2012 [Kim K H, Yi J, Kim G, Choi S J, Jun K I, Kim N H, et al. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, South Korea, 2012. Emerging infectious diseases. 2013; 19(11):1892-4]. The isolated virus was inoculated into a single layer of Vero cells and cultured at 37° C. under 5% carbon dioxide circumstance. The virus was proliferated in Vero cells and all the experiments were performed at the third viral passage of virus culturing. Using Reed-Muench method, 50% tissue culture infection dose (TCID50) was titrated in Vero cells.

Example 3: Preparation of Recombinant SFTS Virus Glycoprotein and Single Chain Variable Fragment Antibody Fusion Protein

The amino acid sequence of SFTS virus glycoprotein used in the present experiment was previously reported [Kim K H, Yi J, Kim G, Choi S J, Jun K I, Kim N H, et al. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, South Korea, 2012. Emerging infectious diseases. 2013; 19(11):1892-4]. To get a DNA strand encoding the SFTS virus glycoprotein, a human codon optimized DNA sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of SFTS virus glycoprotein of SEQ ID NO 171 (GenBank Accession No: AGT98506, amino acids 20-452 for Gn glycoprotein, amino acids 563-1035 for Gc glycoprotein) was synthesized (GenScript).

To overexpress recombinant SFTS virus glycoprotein Gc and Gn which were fused to human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) Fc region (Gc-Fc, Gn-Fc) or fused to human Ig k-chain constant region (Gc-Ck, Gn-Ck), the SFTS glycoprotein-encoding gene was prepared according to the method disclosed in [Park S, Lee D H, Park J G, Lee Y T, Chung J. A sensitive enzyme immunoassay for measuring cotinine in passive smokers. Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry 2010; 411(17-18): 1238-42], [Lee Y, Kim H, Chung J. An antibody reactive to the Gly63-Lys68 epitope of NT-proBNP exhibits O-glycosylation-independent binding. Experimental & molecular medicine. 2014; 46:e114].

First of all, a DNA sequence obtained by amplifying the Fc region of human IgG1 using 2 kinds of primers (5′-GAGCCCAAATCTTGTGACAAAACTCAC-3′) and (5′-GGATCCTCATTTACCCGGGGACAGGGAG-3′) from human marrow-derived cDNA library (Clontech Laboratories), or the synthesized constant region of human Ig k-chain (UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot: P01834.1) was modified to be positioned at the DNA 3′ side of gene sequence to be added. The gene sequence to be added was cloned in a modified pCEP4 vector (Invitrogen) to enable gene addition by Sfil restriction enzyme.

The antibody clone was produced in the form of single chain variable fragment-human IgG1 Fc region fusion protein (scFv-Fc) using scFv coding DNA of each clone. Then, the vector was transfected into HEK293F cell (Invitrogen) using polyethyleneimine (Polysciences), and the transfected cell was cultured in FreeStyle™ 293 expression medium containing 100 U/L penicillin-streptomycin. The overexpressed recombinant SFTS virus glycoprotein fusion protein was purified through an affinity chromatography using A/KappaSelect column and AKTA pure chromatography system (GE Healthcare).

Example 4: Antibody Library Construction and Biopanning

Peripheral blood monocytes of patient recovered from SFTS were collected using Ficoll-Paque solution (GE Healthcare). The total RNAs were separated using TRIzol reagent (Invitrogen), and cDNA was synthesized from the total RNAs using SuperScript III first strand cDNA synthesis kit with oligo(dT) priming. Using the cDNA, the phage-display library of human single chain variable fragment (scFv) was constructed using pComb3XSS phagemid vector. In addition, to select scFv clone from the library, as disclosed in [Barbas C F, Burton D R, Scott J K, Silverman G J. Phage display: a laboratory manual: CSHL Press; 2004.], 4 rounds of biopanning were performed. 3 μg of recombinant SFTS virus glycoprotein Gc or Gn human IgG1 Fc region fusion protein (Gc-Fc, Gn-Fc) was used for coating 5×106 of magnetic Dynabeads M-270 epoxy beads (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's instruction for each round of biopanning. And then the beads bound with proteins were used for biopanning procedures.

Example 5: Screening of Single Chain Variable Fragment Antibody to SFTS Virus

To select an individual antibody clone which bound to SFTS virus glycoproteins, the phage clone was selected form the last round of biopanning, and scFv-display phage was prepared for phage enzyme immunoassay. Microtiter plate (Corning) was coated with 100 ng of recombinant Gc, Gn human Ig k-chain constant region fusion proteins (Gc-Ck, Gn-Ck) per well at 4° C. overnight. The well was blocked with 3% (w/v) BSA in 100 μl of PBS at 37° C. for 1 hour, and cultured with 50 μl of culture supernatant containing phage at 37° C. for 2 hours, and washed with 0.05% (v/v) Tween20 in 150 μl of PBS three times. Then, 50 ml of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-bound anti-M13 antibody distilled in a blocking buffer (1:5000) was added to each well, and then the plate was cultured at 37° C. for 1 hour. After washing with 150 μl of 0.05% PBST, 50 μl of 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) substrate solution (Pierce) was added to each well, and cultured at the room temperature for 30 minutes. And then the absorbance of each well was measured at 405 nm using a microplate reader (Labsystems).

Example 6: Neutralization Analysis

The SFTS virus specific scFv-Fc fusion antibody (100 μl/ml) was serially diluted to be decreased 10 folds each by 0.01 μl/ml. scFvs of each concentration was mixed in an equivalent volume of 100 TCID50 SFTS virus (strain KF358691) and cultured at 37° C. for 1 hours. Then, the virus-antibody mixture was transferred to the single layer of Vero cells in an 8-well confocal microscope chamber and cultured at 37° C. for 1 hour. After removing the virus-antibody mixture, samples were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium containing 2% FBS and antibiotics at 37° C. under 5% carbon dioxide circumstance. Vero cells in the 8-well confocal microscope chamber were used for immune fluorescence assay (IFA). All the experiments were performed three times and the relative neutralization effect was measured by comparing with MAb 4-5 [Xiling Guo et al. A human antibody neutralizing SFTS virus, an emerging hemorrhagic fever virus, 2013. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 2013; 20(9):1426-32).] as a positive control and anti-newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody as a negative control

Example 7: Immune Fluorescence Analysis (IFA) and Fluorescence Intensity Measurement

The relative neutralization effect was measured using immune fluorescence assay (IFA). Cells with or without treatment with virus-antibody mixture having or not having Ab10, MAb 4-5 (positive control), anti-NDV (negative control) were cultured for 2 days. The cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate-buffer saline (PBS) for 1 hour. After blocking and penetrating slides with 0.1% triton X-100 in 1% fetal bovine serum (BSA), they were cultured together with anti-SFTS virus glycoprotein Gn clone Ab6 antibody (5 μl/ml) at 4° C. overnight. The cells were washed and cultured with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-bound anti-human IgG (Pierce) at the room temperature for 1 hour. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) was used for dying a nucleus. Samples were experimented with a confocal microscope (Leica, Buffalo Grove, Ill., USA). Fluorescence signal strength was measured using computer assisted Leica application suite advanced fluorescence (LAS AF). The microscope photographs were taken in 5 regions of each slide using ×10/0.3 lens, and 3 median values were used for analysis. DAPI signal was set with 405 nm blue diode laser and Alexa 488 was adjusted with an argon ion laser.

Example 8: Production of scFv Antibody to SFTS Virus

Human scFv library was biopanned for the recombinant SFTS virus glycoprotein. After 4 rounds of panning, the antibody clone was screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis (ELISA). It was shown that 10 clones (Ab1 to 5 for Gc and Ab6 to 10 for Gn) recognized the SFTS virus through ELISA. The ELISA analysis result was shown in FIG. 2, and the amino acid sequences of each antibody clone were shown in FIG. 1.

Example 9: Neutralization Activity of Antibody to SFTS Virus

The neutralization activity of scFv-hFc antibody purified for the SFTS virus was experimented in Vero cells. Among 10 clones (Ab1 to Ab10) experimented, Ab10 exhibited the strongest neutralization activity. The Ab10 scFv-hFc antibody (100 μl/ml) was diluted 10 folds and titrated for 100 TCID50 SFTS virus (KF358691 strain). The immune fluorescence analysis result and fluorescence strength measurement result of SFTSV infection were shown in FIG. 3.

In the immune fluorescence analysis (IFA), the cell treated with Ab10(100 μl/ml) exhibited the least virus infection and its neutralization activity was dose-dependent. In other words, the more the amount of MAb 10 to be treated was, the smaller the number of cells infected by SFTS virus was. Compared with MAb 4-5 (positive control), Ab10 showed significantly high neutralization activity. The negative control antibody did not exhibit the neutralization activity at all.

This application contains references to amino acid sequences and/or nucleic acid sequences which have been submitted herewith as the sequence listing text file. The aforementioned sequence listing is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.52(e). 

1.-19. (canceled)
 20. An antibody which specifically binds to Gc that is an envelope glycoprotein of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, wherein the antibody comprises a) a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, b) a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, c) a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65, d) a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, e) a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50, and f) a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 66, 67, 68, 69 and
 70. 21. The antibody according to claim 20, wherein the antibody comprises a light chain comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and a heavy chain comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 6, 7, 8, 9 and
 10. 22. The antibody according to claim 20, wherein the antibody comprises a light chain comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and a heavy chain comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 6, 7, 8, 9 and
 10. 23. An antibody which specifically binds to Gn that is an envelope glycoprotein of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus, wherein the antibody comprises a) a light chain complementarity determining region 1 (LCDR1) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105, b) a light chain complementarity determining region 2 (LCDR2) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 121, 122, 123, 124 and 125, c) a light chain complementarity determining region 3 (LCDR3) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 141, 142, 143, 144 and 145, d) a heavy chain complementarity determining region 1 (HCDR1) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 106, 107, 108, 109 and 110, e) a heavy chain complementarity determining region 2 (HCDR2) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 126, 127, 128, 129 and 130, and f) a heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 146, 147, 148, 149 and
 150. 24. The antibody according to claim 23, wherein the antibody comprises a light chain comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85, and a heavy chain comprising any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 86, 87, 88, 89 and
 90. 25. The antibody according to claim 23, wherein the antibody comprises a light chain comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85, and a heavy chain comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 86, 87, 88, 89 and
 90. 26. A nucleic acid comprising at least one of a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10; and b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85, and a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a sequence having 95% or more of sequence identity to any one of amino acids selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 86, 87, 88, 89 and
 90. 27. A vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 26. 28. A host cell comprising the vector of claim
 27. 29. A composition for diagnosing or detecting SFTSV comprising the antibody of claim
 20. 30. A kit for diagnosing or detecting SFTSV comprising the antibody of claim
 20. 31. A method for diagnosing or detecting SFTSV using the antibody of claim
 20. 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the method uses a complex in which the antibody and a magnetic bead are bound.
 33. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of claim
 20. 34. A method for preventing or treating SFTS using the antibody of claim claim
 20. 